Method of applying closures to containers and closure blanks therefor



Dec. 30, 1952 J. w. THOMAS 2,623,674

METHOD OF APPLYING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS AND CLOSURE BLANKS THEREFOR 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7 15, 1947 mvmfim. 101m 71- mamas BY Dec. 30,1952 J. w. THOMAS 2,623,674

METHOD OF APPLYING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS AND CLOSURE BLANKS THEREFOR 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15. 1947 INVENTOR. fail/z [/7 720111116 BYPatented Dec. 30, 1952 METHOD OF APPLYING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS ANDCLOSURE BLANKS THEREFOR John Wayne Thomas, New Kensington, Pa., as-

signor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application January 15, 1947, Serial No. 722,162

This invention relates to the application of closures to containers andparticularly to a means and a method for forming a closure on acontainer to form a package.

In packages of the type to which my invention relates, closures are heldin place by means of cooperating formations, such as complementary screwthreads, on the container and closure. In many cases, it is desirablethat the cooperating closure retaining means be concealed to provide amore attractive or more sanitary package, and exhibit a substantiallysmooth and unbroken exterior surface.

One type of closure which has been used for this purpose is that inwhich a metal blank is formed, for example, by upsetting or drawing,with inner and outer skirts spaced apart and thereafter the inner skirtis formed as required by means of a tool to provide a thread or othersuitable closure securing means. Another known closure is that in whichthe cap skirt is formed of moldable material, the required formationbeing provided on the inner wall of the skirt in the molding opera tion.Both types are relatively expensive, the former because of the severalforming operations required, and the latter because of both the materialemployed and the molding operation. In either case, the cooperatingmeans being com-- pletely and separately formed in the container andclosure, special closure applying equipment is required. Cooperatingscrew threads, for example, require either a revolving head or arevolving stage in the closure applying machine.

An object of this invention is an economical method of providing apackage with concealed closure retaining means. To this end, thespecific objects of the invention are an improved method of forming ametal closure cap with concealed container engaging means and animproved closure blank particularly adapted to that purpose. Other andfurther objects will appear from the following description, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a closure and cntained assembled inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the assembled closure and container in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, partially cut away,showing the preferred form of closure blank of my invention;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views showing modifications of the closureblank of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view, partially in elevation, of acontainer and closure blank in 13 Claims. (Cl. 226-84) position under asealing head at the beginning of a closure forming and applyingoperation;

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional View, partially in elevation, of theparts at the completion oi": the closure forming and applying operation;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through partsof the preferred forms of container and closure blank at the beginningof the closure forming and applying operation;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the parts at anintermediate position in the operation;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Figs. 8 and 9 but showing the parts at thecompletion of the operation; and

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing a modified form ofclosure applied to an alternative container finish.

The package provided by my novel closure blank and method of applicationis shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprises a container in and a closure 2!in which, as shown in Fig. 2, the closure: retaining means is concealedby a straight, smooth skirt 26.

The preferred form of closure blank shown in Fig. 3 includes a metalshell 2! and a liner 22. The shell is formed from a cup shaped blank andhas a recessed panel or diaphragm 23, a skirt portion 24 depending fromthe panel 23, and a main skirt portion extending upwardly and having adownwardly tapered or upwardly flared portion 25 and a cylindricalportion 2i: terminating in an open bead 2'1. The lower ends of skirtportions '24 and 25 are spun or otherwise formed inwardly as at 28 toretain the liner 22.

This type of closure blank is particularly adapted for application to acontainer having a tapered finish, such as that shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8,9 and 10. This container has a body H and a finish l2 tapered toward themouth of the container and characterized by a screw thread formation 13.

A sealing head suitable for applying the closure blank to such acontainer is shown in Figs. 6 and '7 and generally designated 2%. Thehead is recessed at 31 to receive a resiliently mounted center block 32and its spring 33, and has a counterbored recess 36 providing a shoulder3-5 at its entrance to the recess 3|.

In an applying and forming operation, the

closure blank 2! is placed on the container by any suitable means withthe liner 22 resting on the mouth of the container, as shown mostclearly in the fragmentary enlarged view of Fig. 8, and the assembledcontainer and closure blank are positioned beneath the closure-applyinghead 30.

and made to conform to the screw thread formation l3 as most clearlyshown in the fragmentary enlarged views of Figs. 9 and 10. Theresistance of the spring 33, urging the center block 32 against thepanel or diaphragm 23, assures sealing contact of the liner 22 on thecontainer mouth. A sealing machine in which the head is stationary andthe container support is raised to present the container and closureblank to the head may, of course, be substituted for that described.

This operation provides a closure as shown in Fig. having a top paneland a depending hollow skirt of which the inner wall is threaded and theouter wall smooth. The diaphragm 23 of the closure blank becomes the toppanel, the skirt portion 25 provides the threaded inner wall, and theskirt portion 25 retains its initial formation and overlies and concealsthe threaded interior wall. It will be understood that by reason of thescrew threads, the closure may be easily removed and replaced.

I do not wish to be limited by any theory with regard to the actionwhich takes place within the collapsing skirt of the closure blankduring its application to a container, but it is to be presumed that themetal follows the contour of the screw thread formation on the containerfinish by reason of its resistance to deformation by bending moment, theresult being that, at all points, the metal will bend about the largestunrestricted bending radius. The circular form of the collapsing skirtin cross section apparently resists outward collapse, and I have carriedout the operation successfully with a flat faced sealing head. I prefer,however, to recess the head, as at 34, so that the wall of this recesswill not only serve as a guide, but will also further assure against anytendency to outward collapse, as when the closure blank is made of verythin pliable metal. Limits on the material and thickness of the shell 2!have not been fully determined, but satisfactory closures have been madefrom commercial aluminum sheet of 29, and 3! gauge and gauges above andbelow that range should be permissible and are contemplated within thescope of the invention. Qther factors, such as the material of thecontainer, presumably would have greater effect than the particularmetal or exact form of the closure blank.

I have chosen for description a form of my invention adapted forapplication to a tapered container finish. This type of finish isfrequently preferred for easy removal of the closure, since it minimizesbinding, but my invention is not limited to such container finishes.When the container has a straight finish, the portion 25 of the closureblank skirt need not be flared and the entire upstanding main skirtportion is preferably cylindrical. Fig. ll shows a closure formed. froma straight skirted blank on a container with a straight finish '32provided with parallel screw thread formation 43.

Other modification will be apparent. A closed bead 51, Fig. 4, or aflange 6'1, Fig. 5, may

be substituted for the open head 21. Retaining means other than a screwthread may be of advantage, as where the closure need not provide atight reseal, or where it need not be replaceable on the container, andmy invention is adaptable to such alternative closure retaining means,as will be apparent to those skilled in this art.

It will also be appreciated that the closure blank forming a part of myinvention may be conformed to a member having a closure retainingsurface provided thereon, which is a duplicate or master of a containerfinish with which a completed closure may be used to form a package.fabricated in the form illustrated in Fig. 3 and is thereafter appliedto a. die member, or master finish, in the same manner a hereinabovedescribed for the application of the closure blank to the closureretaining finish of a receptacle or container. In this way a preformedclosure is provided for subsequent application to a container.

The above described and other modifications and embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of my invention, and the invention is notto be limited to the exact disclosure herein except as it has beendefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a closure on a container, comprising the steps offorming a closure blank having a diaphragm, a relatively short skirtportion depending from said diaphragm and a relatively long skirtportion extending immediately upwardly from said relatively short skirtportion, placing said closure blank on a container, and applyingpressure means against the free edge of said upwardly extending skirtportion to displace said edge axially to substantially the plane of saiddiaphragm.

2. A method of forming a closure upon a container having closureretaining means thereon, comprising the steps of forming a closure blankhaving a diaphragm, a relatively short skirt portion depending from saiddiaphragm and a relatively long skirt portion extending immediatelyupwardly from said relatively short skirt portion, placing said closureblank on a container with said skirt portions above said closureretaining means, and applying pressure against the free edge of saidupwardly extending skirt portion to displace said edge axially tosubstantially the plane of saiddiaphragm.

3. A method of forming a closure on a container. having closureretaining means thereon, "comprising the steps of forming a closureblank having a diaphragm, a relatively short skirt portion dependingfrom said diaphragm, a relatively long skirt portion extendingimmediately upwardly from said relatively short skirt portion, and aliner retained within said relatively short skirt portion, placing saidclosure blank on the container with said skirt portions above saidclosure retaining means, and applying pressure against the free upperedge of said upwardly extending skirt portion to displace said edgeaxially to substantially the plane of said diaphragm.

4. A method of forming closure on a container having closure retainingmeans thereon, comprising the steps of forming a closure blank having adiaphragm. a relatively short skirt por tion depending from saiddiaphragm, a skirt portion flaring immediately upwardly from saiddepending skirt portion, a straight skirt portion extending upwardlyfrom said flaring skirt por- In such an instance the closure blank istion and ending in a bead, and a liner retained within said dependingskirt portion, placing said closure blank on the container with saidskirt portions above said closure retaining means, and applying pressureagainst said bead to displace said bead axially to substantially theplane of said diaphragm.

5. A method of closing containers having an external closure retainingformation with a metallic closure blank having a diaphragm, a relativelyshort skirt portion depending from said diaphragm and a relatively longskirt portion extending immediately upwardly from said relatively shortskirt portion, comprising inverting part of the upwardly extending skirtportion and pressing it against the closure retaining means bydisplacing another part of said upwardly extending skirt portiondownwardly past the retaining means.

6. In a method of forming a closure on a container, the stepscomprising, providing a closure blank having a diaphragm, a relativelyshort skirt portion depending from said diaphragm, and an integralrelatively long skirt portion extending immediately upwardly from saidshort skirt portion, positioning said closure blank on the mouth of acontainer with its relatively long skirt portion directed upwardly,instigating relative movement between said upwardly extending skirt andsaid container, whereby said relatively long skirt portion isprogressively turned inwardly into substantial conformity with a closureretaining finish on the container, and interrupting said relativemovement to leave a portion of the relatively long skirt portion inenclosing relationship to that portion of the skirt which has beenconformed to the container finish.

7. In a method of conforming a closure blank to a closure retainingmember, the steps comprising, forming a cup like closure blank having adiaphragm and a relatively short inwardly directed depending skirtportion in combination with an upwardly extending integral skirt portionof a length substantially twice as long as the closure retaining member,placing said closure blank on an upper surface of the closure retainingmember with its inwardly directed depending skirt portion surroundingand extending below said upper surface, and applying a downward pressureon the upper edge of said upwardly extending, relatively long skirtportion to progressively turn the skirt into substantial conformity withthe closure retaining member until the upper edge of the aforesaidrelatively long skirt portion is substantially in the plane of theclosure blank diaphragm.

8. As a closure blank for aiiixation to a container, a metal shellhaving a diaphragm, a relatively short skirt portion depending from saiddiaphragm and a relatively long skirt portion including a containerengaging portion extending immediately upwardly from said relativelyshort skirt portion.

9. As a closure blank for ailixation to a container having closureretaining means thereon, a metal shell having a diaphragm, a relativelyshort skirt portion depending from said diaphragm, a skirt portionflaring upwardly from said relatively short skirt portion, and astraight skirt portion extending upwardly from said flaring skirtportion ending in a bead.

10. As a closure blank for afiixation to a container having closureretaining means thereon, a metal shell having a diaphragm, a relativelyshort skirt portion depending from said diaphragm, a relatively longskirt portion including a portion adapted to engage said closureretaining means extending circumferentially upwardly from said diaphragmand immediately surrounding said depending skirt portion, and a linerretained within said relatively short skirt portion.

11. As an article of manufacture, a closure blank for affixation to acontainer having closure retaining means thereon, comprising a metalshell having a diaphragm, a relatively short skirt portion dependingfrom said diaphragm, a relatively long skirt portion flaring upwardlyfrom said relatively short skirt portion, and a relatively long straightskirt portion extending upwardly from said flaring skirt portion, and aliner retained within said relatively short skirt portion.

12. A closure blank suitable for conformation to a closure retainingmember, said blank comprising a diaphragm having a relatively shortdepending skirt forming a recess with said diaphragm for receiving aliner, and a relatively long skirt coextensive with and immediatelysurrounding said short depending skirt and extending upwardly from saiddiaphragm, said relatively long skirt including a container engagingportion.

13. A closure blank suitable for conformation to a member having closureretaining instrumentalities thereon, said blank comprising a diaphragmhaving a relatively short inwardly directed skirt portion forming arecess with said diaphragm for receiving and retaining a liner, and arelatively long skirt coextensive with said short depending skirt andextending upwardly from said diaphragm, said relatively long skirtincluding a container engaging portion.

JOHN WAYNE THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 703,528 Brewington July 1, 1902725,970 Kempien Apr. 21, 1903 934,072 Hicks Sept. 14, 1909 935,296Butkus Sept. 28, 1909 949,477 Hicks Feb. 15, 1910 949,478 Hicks Feb. 15,1910 1,834,711 Jovignot Dec. 1, 1931 1,956,210 Booth Apr. 24, 19342,018,022 Johnson Oct. 22, 1935 2,196,877 Spangler Apr. 9, 19402,226,410 Podel Dec. 24, 1940 2,409,789 Osborne Oct. 22, 1946

